Golf ball marker



July 24, 1951 E. J. PREMO GOLF BALL MARKER Filed July 15, 1946 4 INVENTOR,

cffihfipfgm Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLFBALl MARKER Ellis John Premo; Detroit, Mich; Application July is, 1946, Serial Ndesam 8- Claims. (01. 101-41) This invention relates to a golf ball marker. It is an object of this invention to produce a device for marking upon 'a golf ball indicia of ownership, such as the owners name or initials,

which can be readily carried around by the golfer, for example, carried in the golfers pants or coat pocket or in his golf bag.

The invention contemplates a golf ball marker which is light, compact, inexpensive, of simple structure but highly efiicient in operation and capable of marking a ball very clearly, neatly and legibly.

It is an object of this invention also to produce a golf ball marker which can be easily operated and the mode of operation of which can be readily comprehended.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing my device in golf ball marking position in the full lines and showing my device in golf ball loading and unloading position in the dotted lines. I

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a-fragmentary elevation along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings it will be seen'that my golf ball marker'comprises a vballsupport land a type, support member 2v which are pi l y connected by t air of crossed links 3 and A. For purposes. .of descripe tion the above described members haveall been shown as stamped metal parts.

.Ball support I has a concave socket 5 which is ,a frustum of a s h re .and'flts n e b ut a portion'of the golf ball fibjeing marked. Holder l s provid df opp i e s d s wi h fi e piec I in the form of flanges by means of which the holder can be ippedy su 2 has a yr holder '8 affixed to the bottom thereof. Type Holder 8 takes the form .of an inverted channel having inwardly turned edges 9 to'thereby form a .do'vet'ail slot or keyway into which can be slid from one end the type It! either in individual letters or in a regular linotype slug.

The cross'links 3 and t are each provided with longitudinal beads I l for strengthening purposes. Each link 3 and 4 is pivotally secured at its opposite ends by pins [2 to the ball holder land type holder 2. Type holder 2 is provided with an ink well H which holds a'sup'ply of ink l4. Inkwell f3 is closed by a plug l5 of felt or other ink absorbing and holding material upon which isfixed a' hand piece'lG.

To mark a golf ball,-ball 6 isinserted in socket I' while type holder '2 is swung to one side, as illustrated Y in the dotted lines *Fig. 1. --I-f it is de sired to have an ink impression or marking on ball 6, then the type is inked preparatory to inserting ball 6 in socket 5 by brushing ink over the type from plug l5. Plug 15 is preferably replaced as soon as'the'type has been inked. Ink

M will be, of course, a heavy viscous paste-like ink instead of a liquid ink which readily flows. After ball 6 has been inserted in socket I, then the operator holds holder I in one hand by finger pieces I and 8 and takes the other hand and swings type holder 2 from the dotted line position, Fig. 1, clockwise until all of the type has made its imprint upon the ball 6.

' In Fig. 1 the type is shown in the mid-position of marking and in finished position type holder 2 will be on the right of the full line showing the same number of degrees as it is shown in the dotted lines on the left of mid-position. In roll-.- ing over the golf ball 5 links 3 and 4 keep type It continuously tangent to ball 6 at the point of contact with the ball and type 10. Type retainer 8 and its type It are so positioned that in rotating the type over the surface of ball 6 the type actually presses into and makes an imprint or impression in the surface of ball 6. Thus, if the type is uninked the type will nevertheless make an impression in the ball and if the type is inked, the impression will be colored the same color as'the ink. It is highly preferable that the type should make an impression into the golf ball 6 because then the printed impression will be less subject to wear and consequently last longer. Further, the impression will remain even after the ink has been worn off or otherwise removed.

Type 10 can be removed readily by sliding it out of channel 8. The side walls of channel 8 are made of spring metal and consequently resiliently and frictionally grip type H] to retain it in place. Thus, the type can be readily changed whenever one desires tov change the name, initials, or other indicia that it is desired to mark or impress upon the golf ball. The walls of channel 8 are in tension when the type is in place. The position of the type and type holder at the start of the printing operation is shown in the dotted,

lines Fig. 1. It will be noted that the point of intersection of links 3 and 4 substantially coincide at all times with the point of contact be tween the type and the-surface of the ball being marked.

Arms 3 and 4 are offset, i. e., arms 3 are located outside of arms 4, by bushings 18 so that the device can be flattened out. which facilitates carrying of the same and inking of the type.

links each of which is pivotally connected to the support for the spherical body and the support for said means, said links intersecting at a point between their pivotal connections with each of said holders when in operative position for marking a spherical body, the distance between the pivotal connections of the links on one of said holders being identical with the distance between the pivotal connections of the links on the other holder whereby when a spherical body is inserted in said holder the holder for the indicia means can be moved relative to the holder for said spherical body and the crossed links will pivot said indicia means about the surface of the sphere so that the indicia means is always tangent to the sphere at its point of contact therewith.

2. A. device for marking a spherical body comprising in combination a holder having a concave socket therein adapted to receive a spherical body for marking, indicia forming means for forming an indicia upon the surface of the spherical body, a holder for supporting said means so that the surface of the means which contacts the spherical body being marked is positioned in a single plane, and a plurality of crossed links each of which is pivotally connected to the support for the spherical body and the support for said indicia forming means, the said links intersecting between their pivotal connections with the said holders when in operative position for marking a spherical body, the said links bein of equal lengths between their points of pivoting and the pivotal connections between the links and the holder for the spherical body being spaced the same distance as the distance between the pivotal connections between the links and the holder for said indicia forming means whereby when a spherical body is inserted in said holder the holder for the indicia means can be moved relative to the holder for said spherical body and the crossed links will pivot said indicia means about the surface of the sphere so that the indicia means is always tangent to the sphere at its point of contact therewith.

3. A device for marking a spherical body comprising in combination a holder adapted to receive a spherical body for marking, indicia forming means for forming an indicia upon the surface of the spherical body, a holder for supporting said means so that the surface of the means which contacts the spherical body being marked is positioned in a single plane, and a plurality of crossed links each of which is pivotally connected to the support for the spherical body and the support for said indicia forming means, the said inks intersecting between their pivotal connections with the said holders when in operative position for marking a spherical body, the said links being of equal lengths between their points of pivoting and the pivotal connections between the links and the holder for the spherical body being spaced the same distance as the distance between the pivotal connections between the '4 links and the holder for said indicia forming means, the said links when in operative marking position intersecting substantially in the plane of the indicia forming means whereby when a spherical body is inserted in said holder the holder for the indicia means can be moved relative to the holder for said spherical body and the crossed links will pivot said indicia means about the surface of the sphere so that the indicia means is always tangent to the sphere at its point of contact therewith.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein the indicia forming means comprises printing type and is positioned so that during the printing operation the type makes an impression into the surface of the spherical body.

I 5. A device for marking a spherical body comprising in combination a holder adapted to receive a spherical body for marking, indicia forming means for forming an indicia upon the surface of the spherical vbody, a holder for supporting said means so that the surface of the means which contacts the spherical body being marked is positioned in a single plane, and two pairs of crossed links, said pairs being positioned on opposite sides of said holders, each link being pivotally connected to the support for the spherical body and the support for said indicia forming means, the said links intersecting between their pivotal connections with the said holders when in operative position for marking a spherical body, the said links being of equal lengths between their points of pivoting and the pivotal connections between the links and the holder for the spherical body being spaced the same diswherein the outer link of each of said pairs of links is offset with respect to the inner link of each of said pairs so that the body holder can be pivoted relative to the holder for the indicia forming means to swing the links to non-intersecting position.

7. A device for marking the arcuate surface of a body comprising a holder adapted to support the body with the arcuate surface to be marked. accessibly disposed, indicia forming means for forming an indicia upon said arcuate surface, a

holder for supporting said indicia forming means,

a pair of links having fixed pivotal connections adjacent one end thereof with one of said holders and having fixed pivotal connections adjacent the other end thereof with the other holder, said links intersecting at a point intermediate their pivotal connections with said holders when in operative position for marking an arcuate surface,

said holder for said indicia forming means being pivotable with said links about said holder for said body in an arcuate path to engage said indicia forming means with said arcuate surface when the body to be marked is supported on said holder therefor.

8. A device for marking a spherical body com-= prising in combination a holder having a concave socket therein adapted to receive a spherical body; for marking, indicia forming means forforming an indicia upon the surface of the spherical body, a holder for supporting said means so that the surface of the means which contacts the spherical body being marked is positioned in a single plane, and a plurality of crossed links each of which is pivotally connected to the support for the spherical body and the support for said indicia forming means, the said links intersecting between their pivotal connections with the said holders when in operative position for marking a spherical body, the said links being of substantially equal lengths between their points of pivoting whereby when a spherical body is inserted in said holder the holder for the indicia means can be moved relative to the holder for said spherical body and the crossed links will pivot said indicia means about the surface of the sphere so that the indicia means is always tangent to the sphere at its point of contact therewith.

ELLIS JOHN PREMO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

